Submission Guidelines
How do I submit an article for possible publication in the GGSJ?
Editorial Policy
The Georgia Genealogical Society Journal (formerly Quarterly) seeks to advance Georgia genealogical scholarship. We are looking for well researched and documented case studies and methodological articles. While family histories that are mostly vital statistics are not of general interest, submissions about a family that needed special methods to determine the relationships or a correction to a previously published family history are welcome.
Since our staff is limited, we are not able to check the accuracy of copy submitted to us and cannot accept responsibility for errors.
Below are examples of some themes and topics of interests:
–Original Family and Community Historical Research that is tied to Georgia
–People Who Were Born Prior to 1851 in Georgia (all other decades are welcomed)
–Best Practices in Case Studies, Methodology, and Strategies
–New Techniques & Efficient Ways to Use Genealogy Websites and/or Software
–New Methods or Strategies for Genetic Genealogical Research
–Systems to Establish Proficient Research, Writing, and Publishing Family or Community Histories
–Investigating Church Membership Records
–Marriage Certificates, Bonds, Licenses, and Cohabitation Records/Lists
–Pension, Military, and Imprisonment Records
–Georgia Resident Labor, Migration, or Organizational History
–Georgia Antebellum Plantation Records
–Abstracts of Records That Cover A Georgia County/Counties
Manuscript Format
–The preferred method of submission is an electronic file in Microsoft Word (MSWord).
–Manuscripts should be a minimum of 1,000 words and should not exceed 6,000 words (excluding endnotes). Please contact Editor if you would like to submit longer papers.
–Submissions should be single spaced and use 12pt Georgia font.
–Follow the Style Sheet Guidelines listed below.
GGSJ Style Sheet
Style Sheet for GGSJ updated in 2023
Standardize styles for first page of each article.
Font Georgia, 12 pt. regular for text
TITLE (bold 15 pt)
by author name (14 pt)
Title of article will be 4 lines from the header at the top of the page, centered, bold, 15 pt.
Author’s name will be 2 lines below, centered, 14 pt – by [name]
A short bio of the author in 9 pt type can be put either at the bottom of the first page of the article, or at the end of the article, separated by a horizontal line or enclosed in a text box.
Bio example:
David E. Paterson, MA, historian of Georgia’s slavery and Reconstruction periods, especially researching biographies of slaves and freedpeople. Slavery Period Forum Manager for AfriGeneas.com (2002-2020).
CAPTIONS
Georgia, 10 pt. italics, full justified.
Be sure to include source, permission & copyright info for any image in the caption.
Graphic border single line
HEADERS
Georgia, 14 pt., left justified.
FOOTNOTES
Georgia, 9 pt., indent .25″, justified.
Italicize book titles.
Do not italicize or underline URLs.
Footnote Examples:
Thomas Shourds, History and Genealogy of Fenwick’s Colony, (Bridgeton, New Jersey: Georgia F. Nixon, 1876); digitized book, Google Books (https://books.google.com/: accessed 13 November 2022).
1880 U.S. census, Camden County, Georgia, population schedule, Cumberland Island, p. 17 (penned) p. 480 (stamped), line 41, dwelling 184, family 196, J.L. [I.L.] Peckham household; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : accessed 2 August 2022) > Georgia > Camden > Cumberland Island > 013 > image 1 of 4; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 137.
“Died,” obituary, Georgia Messenger (Ft. Hawkins, Georgia), 15 September 1836, page 3 , column 5; Georgia Historic Newspapers (https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu : accessed 2 August 2022) > Browse by Date > 1836 > 15 September > Georgia messenger. (Ft. Hawkins, Ga.) 1823-1847, September 15, 1836 > Image 3.
For additional information or assistance, please contact the Journal Editor. The editor will correspond with anyone seeking guidance on material acceptable for publication.